This always comes up when non-Americans talk about US messaging systems. The simple fact is SMS was good enough (being pretty cheap or even free for many years) that people didn't care to switch. In contrast, many other countries had much more expensive SMS so free messaging systems were built and widely used.

Yes.

Pretty much every iPhone user in the US uses exclusively iMessage.

> People are really out here using the default sms app?

Well no, they're using the iMessage app and not communicating with people who don't have iPhones.

the experience on all those is way worse. telegram is pretty good but still not there. others arent even close.

snap is the least awful alternative.